The nuclear deal will come into effect once Japan's Parliament ratifies it: Jaishankar

The signing of civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement is something that has taken us some time to negotiate for very understandable reasons. Indo-Japan nuclear pact has striking similarities with agreements India signed with the US and others: Jaishankar

Last two years witnessed a sharp increase in Japanese economic activities in India: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar

PM Narendra Modi thanks his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe for the support extended for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

The successful Malabar exercise has underscored the strategic convergence in the broad expanse of the waters of the Indo-Pacific, says Modi. He adds: "We are also united in our resolve to combat the menace of terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism."

Our strategic partnership is not only for the good and security of our own societies. It also brings peace, stability and balance to region: PM Modi

The deal would allow Japan to export nuclear technology to India, making it the first non-NPT signatory to have such a deal with Tokyo. It would also cement the bilateral economic and security ties as the two countries warm up to counter an assertive China. Notably, there was political resistance in Japan - the only country to suffer atomic bombings during World War II - against a nuclear deal with India, particularly after the disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in 2011.

PM Modi interacts with members of the India-Japan Business Leaders’ Forum in Tokyo.

he nuclear deal - which is subject to ratification by the Japanese Parliament -- will allow Japan to supply nuclear reactors, fuel and technology. The two nations reached a broad agreement last December, said foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup.

Prime Minister Modi, who reached Tokyo after a brief stopover in Thai capital Bangkok to pay respects to revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died last month, tweeted, "Looking forward to fruitful deliberations that will boost economic and cultural ties between India and Japan".

India is in advanced negotiations with US-based Westinghouse Electric, owned by Japan's Toshiba, to build six nuclear reactors in the south - a part of New Delhi's plan to ramp up nuclear capacity ten-fold by 2032.

The nuclear deal comes after long negotiations to find a way around Tokyo's reservations about such an agreement with a nation that hasn't signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Japan, the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack, has sought assurances from New Delhi that it would not conduct nuclear tests any more.

The main accord is likely to be accompanied by a separate document stipulating that Tokyo will suspend nuclear cooperation if India conducts a nuclear test, Japan's Yomiuri newspaper reported. Initially, Japan wanted it to be part of the agreement, but India resisted, it said.

India has declared a moratorium on nuclear testing since its last explosions in 1998. The nation -- which has concerns about nuclear-armed China as well as its long-time rival Pakistan -- has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, contending that it is discriminatory.

The nuclear deal is seen as a step that will draw the two nations closer in the backdrop of concerns about a reduced US engagement in the South-east Asia following US President-elect Donald Trump's "America First" campaign promise.

India and Japan have also been trying to close a deal on the supply of amphibious rescue aircraft US-2 to the Indian navy, which would be one of Japan's first sales of military equipment since Prime Minister Abe lifted a 50-year ban on arms exports.